Part of Route 209 closed in city

Pottsville Fire Chief Todd March said West Market Street from Coney Island to Sheetz is currently closed.

Although he wasn't sure for how long, he estimated it will be at least an hour or two, as PPL is working to get the power cut from the downed power lines.

Yorkville and West End Fire Departments as well as fire police are on the scene until the area is safe.

According to PPL, which has been in a storm emergency since 4 a.m., there are currently 263 customers in Schuylkill County without power. While 134 customers have recently been restored, current outages include 203 customers in Norwegian Township, one customer in Union Township and 59 customers in West Penn Township.

The Schuylkill County Emergency Management Agency is also reporting that a flood warning continues for Schuylkill County and the Swatara Creek at Harper Tavern until Friday morning or until the warning is cancelled.

At 9 a.m. today, the stage was at 8.4 feet and rising.

With the flood stage being 9 feet and minor flooding forecast, SCEMA said the river may crest near 10 feet this evening and will fall below the flood stage after midnight tonight.

Former death row inmate Mumia Abu-Jamal was sent to Schuylkill Medical Center-East Norwegian Street, his lawyer said Monday.
“We were told this morning he was rushed to the hospital. They would not even tell us if he is conscious,” Bret Grote, a Pittsburgh-based lawyer, said while standing outside the hospital Monday evening.
Grote arrived in Pottsville on Monday and was
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